

THE 



AMERICAN 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 



9 



&c. 



/ 



Art. I. — Observations on the Comet of Halley , made at Yale Col- 

 lege; by Elias Loomis. 



In No. 268 of Prof. Schumacher's Astronomische Nachrichten, 

 Dr. Olbers has given reasons for supposing that Halley's comet 

 might possibly have been seen as early as February or March. 1835. 

 He was of course aware that the comet would then be at a greater 

 distance from the earth and the sun than it had ever before been 

 seen ; yet considering that it would be high up in the evening sky, 

 even after the disappearance of the twilight, and also that very great 

 improvements had been effected in the manufacture of telescopes 

 since 1759, he concluded it was not altogether impossible that the 

 comet might be discovered at this early period. No account, how- 

 ever, has been received of the comet's discovery before the month 

 of August. The first announcement which has come to our knowl- 

 edge, is from Rome. In the number of L'Institut for August 19th, 

 it is stated that M. Bouvard had received a letter from M. Dumou- 

 chel, Director of the Observatory at Rome, announcing that he, 

 in company with M. Vicot, his assistant, saw the comet distinctly 

 about three o'clock on the morning of August 5th. Its position they 

 determined to be in Right Ascension 5h. 26m. ; Declination 22° 

 17' North. On the following morning, at about the same hour, 

 they saw the comet again, but were prevented by clouds from ta- 

 king accurate observations. The comet had, however, advanced 

 sensibly to the east. 



From about this time, the presence of the moon interfered with 

 observations, and we hear that the comet was next seen at Dorpat 



Vol. XXX.— No. 2. 



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